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"Top Trails Maui" Review: A Guide to Hiking in Maui!

Want to go hiking in Maui? Don't want to spend big bucks on guided tours? No problem! All you need is a great guidebook, and "Top Trails Maui," written by travel journalist Sara Benson, fits the bill perfectly!

As much as I love to hike Maui with an experienced, knowledgeable guide, it does tend to get expensive, particularly if you want to hike a LOT. Trouble is, without a guide, it can be tough to know where the best hikes are and what to expect.

This book solves that problem by giving you an expert insiders guide to everything you need to know to do the hike on your own.

Only the Best of the Best

Sara narrowed down the choices for hiking in Maui to the best of the best on the island. Since I don't want to waste my precious vacation time on a mediocre hike, I really appreciate this!

Maps, Maps, and More Maps!

Top Trails: Maui, has a map of the entire island of Maui, plus detailed maps for every single one of the 37 trails described in the book.

Lots of Details for Hiking in Maui

There are loads of helpful details for hiking in Maui, all of which are well organized and easy to find! There is a handy overview chart near the beginning of the book that summarizes every trail in the book. Other helpful details in the book include:

Of particular interest to me as a mom was the fact that Sara even specifies whether or not each trail is child friendly.

Lastly, there were some very useful appendices at the end of the book:

Top Rated Trails to hike in Maui

Major Public Agencies and Non-Profic Organizations

Maps, Books, and Internet Resources

Local Guides, Tour Operators and Hiking Clubs

Outdoor Gear, Supplies, and Food

More on "Top Trails Maui" Review ...

As a test, I even read the sections of the book for any of the hikes in Maui that I've done myself, such as our trek on the Pipiwai Trail with Hike Maui. In comparing what was written in the book with my own experience, I thought Sara was right on point. Also, on our last trip, we did a few more hikes from this book that we'd never been on before - "Top Trails: Maui" was the perfect "guide" every time, and allowed us to enjoy the hike with no unpleasant surprises.

Is There Anything Missing From Top Trails: Maui?

A small number of hikes in this book are located in areas where some of the major car rental companies prohibit you from driving their vehicles. I'd like to see this highlighted in a future edition of Top Trails: Maui.